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Mid Am Midwinter Conference
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Mid America Preconference, Conference and
Horticultural Trade Show
January 17-20, 2012
Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
- 2012 Highlights
- 2012 Schedule
- Build and grow your network of business contacts
- Gain valuable information by listening and observing
- Do business with people you know and trust
- Collect a vast list of resources to fill in the gaps of your business services
- Obtain essential industry and business intelligence from subject-matter experts
One show…so many possibilities!
Mid Am is presented by IGIA, ILCA and WGIF.
About the Mid Am Horticultural Trade Show
Mid Am is the original green industry social network. For nearly 40 years Mid Am has been helping horticulture professionals connect with their peers, build their knowledge levels and facilitate business!
Mid Am is the only event in the Midwest that allows you to view the entire green industry in one place. Rather than having to take the time (and pay the money) to attend several different shows to see pieces of the green industry, Mid Am brings it all together in one location, including plants, patios, equipment, tools, water features, hardscapes, landscape materials, structures, irrigation/erosion control, pools, professional services and just about anything else you need to run your business.
But Mid Am is about more than looking. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase from hundreds of exhibitors displaying the latest products and services, obtain career-advancing and business-enhancing education and attend relationship-building networking events where you can cultivate relationships through face-to-face interaction
Event Highlights
Mid Am Mixer
Thursday, January 19
4:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Festival Hall at Navy Pier
The Mid Am Mixer is a great place for industry professionals to make new connections and reinforce existing relationships, whether you’re looking to nurture and cultivate your business, your career or both. Connect with people who love what they do and are looking for ways to learn and grow. In 2012, the Mid Am Mixer will be held on the show floor – giving exhibitors and attendees additional dedicated time to network and conduct business. To facilitate your networking efforts, you will have the option to purchase drink tickets in advance! A package of ten (10) tickets is $87.50; single drink tickets are $9 each. Drink tickets can be purchased via the Mid Am online registration site.
Mid Am Sponsor Booths
Wednesday – Friday, January 18-20
Show Hours
Festival Hall at Navy Pier
Networking and learning opportunities will be featured in booths from our sponsoring organizations – the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), the Illinois Green Industry Association (IGIA) and the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation (WGIF).
“Think Green” Bar
Wednesday – Friday, January 18-20
Show Hours
Festival Hall at Navy Pier
Here’s your opportunity to visit one-on-one with industry thought-leaders, featured speakers and dignitaries.
Education
Knowledge is one of the best and most critical resources in a company’s arsenal. The more you know, the better prepared you are to rise to the competitive challenges and opportunities ahead. These excellent, industry-focused educational opportunities will help you expand your knowledge and increase your expertise.
Pre-Conference Workshops
The Mid Am Pre-Conference Workshops on Tuesday, January 17, presented by the Illinois Green Industry Association (IGIA) and the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA), offer three concurrent, full-day educational workshops designed to provide ideas and solutions for green industry businesses.
Mentoring Roundtables
Ask questions, get feedback and find solutions at these unique sessions presented by the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation (WGIF) on Wednesday, January 18. These roundtables provide a unique, intimate environment to discuss issues and potential solutions with mentors and other industry leaders. Preregistration is required and space is limited to 10 people per roundtable session. Roundtables sponsored by: Weed Man and Wisconsin Green Industry Federation <Logo>
Midwinter Conference
The Midwinter Conference is brought to you by IGIA and ILCA, offering green industry professionals a variety of sessions covering current and cutting-edge trends, business-related issues and industry intelligence.
Midwinter Conference sessions will be presented on Wednesday and Thursday, January 18-19, offering two full days of business-centric sessions focusing on timely topics for green industry professionals. Tracks include: Sales & Marketing, Plants & Horticulture, Retail & Business Management, Grower & Arborist, Irrigation, Management & Operations and Sustainable Landscape.
Latino Track
This specialized track allows Spanish-speaking and bilingual attendees to experience what Mid Am has to offer entirely in Spanish. The track includes education, networking, a tour of the trade show floor and more.
Student Career Center
Thursday, January 19
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Mid Am is the perfect venue for green industry employers and students to connect with one another. At the Student Career Center, full-time horticultural students (including high school seniors) and employers can discuss job opportunities.
Employers will set up tables staffed with company representatives and information to introduce their organizations to the new crop of horticulture graduates and conduct preliminary interviews. Students are encouraged to visit each table in the Student Career Center to meet potential employers and determine which might be the best fit.
The Mid Am Student Career Center is intended for full-time students (including high school seniors) pursuing a career in the horticultural field.
Students can register for the trade show at the discounted rate of $15 (before 1/17/12) or $20 (on-site). Students may register online. However, a valid student identification card must be presented at the Mid Am registration counter for admission at the discounted rate. Attendees without their valid student ID will be responsible for the full registration fee.
Tuesday, January 17
7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. IGIA Pre-Conference Workshop: Plants Don’t Pay Us, People Do!
8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. IGIA Pre-Conference Workshop: Grow to Sell, Sell to Grow– Achieving a Successful and Profitable Balance
8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. ILCA Pre-Conference Workshop: Expanding the Sales Mind
8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. ILCA Pre-Conference Workshop: Design: Beyond the Foundation Structure
Wednesday, January 18
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Sales & Marketing – Sell the Damn Design: Cuddle the Concept, Ditch the Details
Plants & Horticulture – Break the Cycle, Bend the Plant: Alternates to Overused Plants
Retail & Business Management – How to Make Your Pot Dealer Your New Best Friend
Grower & Arborist – Where Have All the Trees Gone…Long Time Passing
8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Irrigation Track Session, Basic Irrigation Principles and Design
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Exhibits Open
9:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Mentoring Roundtables
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Sales & Marketing – Changing Destiny: How Ambius Became a Landscaping Leader
Plants & Horticulture – The Tantalizing 25: Plants You Must Have in the Garden
Retail & Business Management – Great Perennial Combinations
Grower & Arborist – Pruning Practices as Influenced by Tree Biology
Irrigation – Trends in Irrigation
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Sales & Marketing – Secrets to Sales Success in a Down Economy
Plants & Horticulture – What the Heck is That? Insects, Pests and Diseases on Ornamentals
Retail & Business Management – Sustainable Perennials for the Sustainable Urban Landscape
Grower & Arborist – Insect & Disease Problems of Trees and Shrubs
Irrigation – Irrigation and the Illinois Plumbing Code
2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Breakout Session
Sales & Marketing – Growth, Profit and Diversity: Grease Your Gears and Feed Your Machine
Plants & Horticulture – Modern Plants for Modern Landscapes: Trendy Plants for Today’s Gardens
Grower & Arborist – Why Do My Good Plants Go Bad?
Irrigation – Auditing for Fun and Profit
Thursday, January 19
7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Maintenance & Operations – Turnaround! Managing the Challenging Employee
Sustainable Landscape – The Greenest of the Green: Cutting-Edge Practices in Sustainable Landscaping
Retail & Business Management – Merchandise Buying in a Down Economy
Grower & Arborist – Are We Planting Shrubs and Ornamentals Too Deep?
Irrigation – Being an Irrigation Track Contractor in Illinois
Latino Track – How to Identify and Create the Best Crews and New Leaders/Como identificar y crear los mejores supervisores y grupos de trabajo
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Exhibits Open
9:45 a.m. Mentoring Roundtables
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Maintenance & Operations – Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
Sustainable Landscape – Getting Your Feet Wet: Construction Principles for Stormwater Management Retail & Business
Management – The Marriage of a Landscape and Retail Business
Grower & Arborist – Perennials for Small Gardens and Top Performers
Latino Track – Experts Panel/Panel de expertos
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Maintenance & Operations – Understanding the Hispanic Culture Sustainable
Landscape – Building Sustainable Systems That Sell Retail & Business
Management – How to Focus on your Marketing
Grower & Arborist – Underused and Underappreciated Plants
Latino Track – Exhibit Hall Guided Tour/Gira guiada por la sala de exhibiciones
2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Maintenance & Operations – The Top Ten Things You Must Do Today to Make Sure Your Business Has a Tomorrow
Sustainable Landscape – Sustainable Landscaping: A National Perspective
Grower & Arborist – Today’s Trees That Are Growing and Trees That Are Selling
4:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Annual Mid Am Mixer
Friday, January 20
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Registration
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Community Garden – Reveal
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Exhibits Open
All Mid Am sessions and functions will be held at Navy Pier. All registrations for educational opportunities include admission to the Trade Show all three days. Please note that some sessions have limited space; register online for fastest service and to ensure participation.
